While illegal dumping usually increases over the warmer months as people tackle household clean‑outs and home projects, the issue is rising overall – with a 28% rise in reported incidents last financial year.

Bagged rubbish, bottles, household furniture, whiteware, tyres and wood offcuts are among the most dumped items across Waimakariri’s roadsides, reserves, and public places. We’ve even found the occasional dog kennel.

Illegal dumping is not only an eyesore – it harms the environment and costs ratepayers to clean up. Removal costs have increased in recent years, with some contractors now charging more than $500 per job.

To help manage these costs, Council has boosted its in-house capacity by assigning more staff and using larger vehicles to respond to dumping incidents.

Anyone caught illegally dumping is liable for an instant fine of up to $400, and more serious offences may result in prosecution.

Council’s Environmental Compliance Team Leader Simon Clark says tracking down the offenders can be challenging.

“Many of the incidents occur late at night, in isolated rural areas, or in places with limited visibility. These locations often lack lighting, witnesses, or clear CCTV coverage.

“By the time reports come in, weather or passing traffic may disturb the site, making it harder to link the waste back to the person who dumped it. As a result, investigations can be time-consuming and rely heavily on what evidence is left behind.”

Dumped tyres that could have been taken to the transfer station for free.

Dispose of rubbish responsibly

Solid Waste Manager Kitty Waghorn says many of the items Council sees dumped in public areas could be disposed of for free.

“Many of the items that are dumped illegally can be taken to the Southbrook Resource Recovery Park and Oxford Transfer Station at no cost, such as recycling, scrap metal, whiteware, hazardous waste, and tyres through the Tyrewise scheme.

“Green waste, soil, bricks and concrete can be disposed of at Southbrook Resource Recovery Park at a minimal cost,” Kitty says.

“We know disposal costs matter to residents, which is why we work hard to limit fee increases wherever possible.

“We’d recommend that people tell the staff what items they’re aiming to dispose of, as often there are cheaper diversions than simply landfilling.”

How to report illegal dumping

• If you come across illegal dumping, please do not remove the items. Make a note of any details, take photos if you can and contact the Council.
• The easiest way to report it is through the Snap, Send, Solve app. Make sure you report the incident from the site of the dumping so our teams receive the correct location and can respond more quickly to the report.
• Rubbish dumped on riverbeds or beaches are the responsibility of Environment Canterbury and people caught illegally dumping in these areas could receive a $1500 fine.

Examples of illegal dumping reported through the Snap, Send, Solve app.

Common disposal costs at the transfer station

Item	Disposal cost per 50kg
Council branded bags ($4 retail price)	Free
Tyres	Free
Quality second hand furniture / items	Free - Visit the ReSale store
Whiteware	Free
General waste	$20 (minimum load is $8 for about 20kg)
Green waste	$8 (minimum load is $3 for about 20kg)
Cleanfill (soil, bricks etc.)	$7 (minimum load is $3 for about 20kg)

More information about our transfer stations, items we accept, and pricing is available at rethinkrubbish.co.nz